1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drag mechanism. More specifically, the present invention relates to a drag mechanism for a dual-bearing reel that is contrived to brake a spool attached to a reel unit of the dual-bearing reel by moving relative to the spool along an axial direction of the spool.
2. Background Information
A dual-bearing reel, particularly a lever drag type dual-bearing reel, is provided with a drag mechanism that serves to brake a spool by moving the spool along an axial direction of the spool. With such a drag mechanism, a drag force is adjusted with a drag adjusting lever arranged to pivot about a spool shaft. The drag mechanism includes a friction disk arranged to rotate integrally with the spool, a movement mechanism contrived to move the friction disk together with the spool along an axial direction of the spool in response to a pivot movement of the drag adjusting lever, and a brake disk arranged such that it can contact against and separate from the friction disk. In a known conventional example of this type of drag mechanism (e.g., see Nos. 171, 238 and 246 of Shimano TLD 2-Speed Parts List, published 9 Apr. 2008), the friction disk and the brake disk are arranged in a storage space provided in a flange portion and a cover member is arranged to cover the storage space from the outside. Arranging the friction disk and brake disk inside a storage space covered by a cover member in this fashion serves to make it more difficult for the two disks to get wet and enables fluctuation of the drag force caused by the disks getting wet to be prevented.
The conventional drag mechanism includes a friction disk, a cover member, a movement mechanism, and a brake disk. The friction disk is arranged in a cylinder-shaped storage space formed in a flange portion of a spool and has four engaging protrusions provided on an radially outward facing surface thereof. The engaging protrusions are configured to protrude in a radially outward direction. The cover member is fixed to the flange portion such that it covers the storage space. The movement mechanism is contrived to move the spool and the friction disk along an axial direction of the spool. The brake disk is arranged inside the storage space such that it can contact against and separate from the friction disk. The cover member has a circular cylindrical portion having an externally threaded portion configured to mesh with an internal circumferential surface of the storage space. The internal surface of the storage space is provided with an internally threaded portion configured to mesh with the externally threaded portion of the cover member and four engaging recesses configured to engage with the engaging protrusions of the friction disk. In this way, the friction disk is prevented from rotating with respect to the spool and. a distal end of the circular cylindrical portion prevents the friction disk from coming out of place (detaching).